The Invisible Man
by cherliviras
Summary: (UPDATED VERSION) One shot set after the episode 'Beneath the surface'. On a routine mission SG-1 suffer a funny, yet unfortunate event. When an unexpected Goa'uld Tel'tak lands nearby, SG-1 sneaks on board for a little reconnaissance. However, a explosion has dire consequences for Colonel Jack O'Neill. Or does it? ***Spoilers/references from the episode '200'.***


**A/N; Massive apologies for the lack of story line, and huge errors within the original version. There's no excuse for that. However, during the time I wrote the original I was highly stressed and needed an outlet. I had an inspiration for this story that just needed to get out as quickly as humanely possible, within my haste there was a huge amount of errors. I have gone back over this story and re-wrote how it was originally intended to be. My Grammar will not be perfect, for this I apologise. I'am autistic (Not an excuse) and it takes me a fair while to get to grips with all the rules within the English language. I am still learning and still practising my grammar. My main aspiration is to nail this weakness and become an avid explorer within the English language and I Sincerely hope that to all that read will have the patience with me while I continue on this journey. **

**Thank you for those that have reviewed and messaged and for taking the time to leave positive and constructive (which are highly welcomed, even if sometimes disappointing) reviews. **

**I hope this updated version is much more easier for you all to read and understand. **

**As always own nothing, or affiliated with the franchise (unfortunately). **

"Incoming wormhole." Walter's voice reverberated through the speakers.

Within seconds General Hammond came waltzing down the stairs from his office.

"Status report?" General Hammond barked.

"It's SG-1's IDC Sir, they're early." Sergeant Harriman confirmed.

"Open the iris." General Hammond ordered.

General Hammond waited a while before heading down the few steps to the Gate room, as if he was moving akin to a snail's pace. He didn't bide his time out of fear. He waited because, it was safer. More often than not, when SG-1 came back early it was either one of three reasons; a mission went wrong, the planet was uninhabited, or trouble had found them. He learned years ago, it was safer to wait; as did many other personal.

General Hammond appeared though the already opened reinforced blast doors. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He hated above all else having to send people out there every day into harm's way, into uncharted territory; he relaxed enough to welcome his best and brightest team back. Standing before him fully dressed in combat ready BDU's without any obvious injuries was his flagship team. Daniel Jackson, Major Samantha Carter and Teal'c, however, SG1's leader Colonel Jack O'Neill was nowhere to be seen.

Looking around puzzled General Hammond's face contorted, this was not what he expected to happen on an uninhabited planet. He was about to ask where Colonel O'Neill was? And what had happened? His tone harsh and urgent today was not the day for Colonel O'Neill to be AWOL.

Before Major Carter had a chance to answer, Colonel O'Neill's voice erupted within the room. But nobody could tell where the noise was coming from.

"I'm over here Sir." Colonel O'Neill waved- his voice came through loud and clear, but he couldn't be seen.

General Hammond was confused, his face dropped like a bowling ball. He hoped he hadn't lost his mind; he looked over in his best 'tell me now' like a mother's face scolding her disobedient children, his eyes pointed directly at Major Carter.

"He's erm...er, Invisible Sir, We hit some complications on the recon..." Carter concluded, almost embarrassed to utter the words.

They'd seen some pretty strange things on their travels, heck even Daniel phased out into another dimension. It wasn't the fact that Jack became invisible. It was simply that out of everyone it had happened Colonel O'Neill, a proven joker. Carter knew the problem wouldn't be figuring out how to turn O'Neill visible again. It would be figuring out a way to get him to agree to it.

"Invisible?" General Hammond thought he really was going crazy.

"Yes Sir! Whoo-hooo... I'm over here, im waving at you Sir." Jack chanted doing a mime dance.

Jack found this situation highly amusing. The look on his commanding officers head was priceless; Jack wished he had a camera so he could remember this moment, for as long as he lived.

"What, how did that happen?" Hammond barked.

"The Goa'uld showed up unannounced; we decided to do some recon on the Tel'tek. There was a room full of technology, I was reading some object. Next thing I know there was this beep and then there was a power surge. Then we were all prodding around trying to search for an invisible Jack." Daniel hummed.

"Go to the infirmary, debrief one hour!" George ordered.

In the infirmary Jack wasn't being the best behaved, Jack's normal behaviour was at-least tolerable when he was visible. Invisible Jack was a whole new ball game. Dr Janet Frasier was had already lost her patience, to get the routine checks done proved rather difficult without having Jack's full cooperation. He disappeared numerous times during the X-ray, resulting in him having to be tied down with two SF's posted next to him. When it came to his Shots he refused to allow the nurse to even get close using what little movement he had left to gain any plausible distance. Instead he, not so eloquently requested that she played pin the needle on the donkey, which only resulted in a rather angry Colonel being struck in the wrong place more than a few occasions, incoherently swearing. In the end the nurse left the room almost in tears. Janet newly dubbed 'Napoleon Power Monger' pulled rank over Colonel O'Neill threatening him with a multitude of medical instruments, if he continued to behave this way.

Listening to the whole transgressions take place, Sam couldn't help but snigger. She felt thankful for the fact she was alone with the curtain drawn. She knew she would have to deal with a very childish Colonel, trying to persuade him to regain visibility. Major Carter's train of thought was interrupted upon hearing the Velcro on Colonel O'Neill's restraints being removed. She knew instantly that he would be paying her a visit.

And that is just what he did.

A few hours later, SG-1 found themselves in the not to unfamiliar briefing room. As usual Jack became his annoying childish self. He couldn't, resist the urge. Jack knew he could get away with it- get away with pushing the boundaries. He couldn't get court-marshalled, not under the influence of alien technology; at least that is what Jack planned on writing in his reports. He had more important things to do, more pressing matters at hand. Jack on the other-hand was busy making a certain Major blush. Her cheeks flushed a very distinguished rosy pink. Colonel O'Neill decided she would be the victim of his so called 'alien influences', absentmindedly he swatted at her hair, brushing it with his fingers and then manipulating it into the air like she'd been electrocuted.

"How did this happen. Major?" General Hammond asked, trying his best to ignore Colonel O'Neill.

General Hammond's patience all ready worn thin as ice.

"Well Sir I'm not entirely sure! One minute we were standing in the engine room, setting charges the next a shortage erupted on the ships clocking crystals, causing a small electrical charge. Colonel O'Neill was standing next to the closet, when we came from hiding we heard Colonel O'Neill groaning but we couldn't see him Sir." Carter replied.

"Sir, Jack was playing with some tech at the time of the power surge. There was some storage crates, each one filled with some alien technology." Daniel added.

"Why was the Goa'uld there in the first place? Didn't the villagers state that they hadn't seen the Goa'uld in nearly a decade?" Hammond looked more confused by the second.

"Yes Sir, That's what they said, they were as confused as we were. Ancient texts dictate that they last visited P05-964, Earths equivalent 60 years. We know from their limited historical records the planet used to be rich in Naquadah, but since not filling the quotas the Goa'uld Khonsu abandoned the planet. It is possible they sent a scout to see what's going on there." Daniel said sincerely, looking towards Teal'c to confirm his thesis.

"It is very possible the Naquadah mines have been known to replenish, although, it is rare." Teal'c confirmed in his deep booming voice.

"How can we fix this..." General Hammond sighed.

"Er, excuse me Sir I'm right here and I don't need fixing. Think about the advantage this gives us. I'm un-de-tect-able. They'd see right through me, I'm the Hollow Man, but way better." O'Neill almost shouted.

"Colonel you cannot remain Invisible!" General Hammond rubbed his hand over his forehead, "If you continue to act in this manner I will be forced to detain you. Is that clear?" General Hammond stood up and spat.

He turned to Carter and looked at her squarely in the eyes. "Fix it, Dismissed."

General Hammond looked at everyone, mainly where he assumed Jack had been standing behind Carter. He couldn't tell if he was still there as Carter's hair stopped being flamboyantly thrown around as if gravity no longer existed. His eyes softened as they feel on Major Carters, he knew how hard this is going to be for. His eyes wondered once more he looked straight at a concrete wall, glaring at – presumably O'Neill; before retreating back to his office.

Sam stood up as the General left; she turned behind her, hopefully looking at Jack.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to come to my lab, I'd like to run a few tests." Carter asked.

"I'm not a lab rat Carter." O'Neill whispered not so quietly in her ear.

Carter could feel his warm breath against her neck, making her jump at the intimate closeness.

"Indeed you are not O'Neill. But perhaps Major Carter can determine what caused you to become invisible!" Teal'c harrowed.

"She's right Jack. If anyone can fix this, it will be Sam." Daniel looked at Sam giving her an encouraging look. Knowing full well what lies ahead for her.

Carter weakly smiled at Daniel, giving her silent thanks for his support. "Sir, we really need to run those tests. We need to make sure there are no nasty side effects." Carter emphasised the seriousness of her words. Relying on her eyes to convey what she cannot.

O'Neill sighed, unknowing to Carter he was staring at her - falling victim to her pleading baby blue eyes.

"Oh for cryin' out loud!" Jack gave in there was no way he could argue with Carter when she used those eyes of hers.

He rustled his hands through his hair, for no reason only for his own satisfaction. Jack knew she was right. Heck she's always right.

It made no sense to deny him the satisfaction of some Sam alone time.

Within Sam's lab she was scanning Jack with a particle reader. Sam made sure she had a hand on him consistently, not giving him any chance of thinking of doing a magic disappearing act.

"Well Sir you're not radioactive." Sam confirmed.

"Scientifically that might be true." O'Neill huffed.

"Well as far as the tests go. There's nothing I can detect that will harm you Sir."

"Well for that you'll have to invent a whole new doohinky." Jack whispered sarcastically.

Carter let go of O'Neill's arm heading back to her station, to start typing her report up. There was nothing more that she could do. The tests came back all clear medically and scientifically – well as much as Tauri technology could detect. She had not long started when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

They've touched each other before and that wasn't what made this time different. Jack stood right behind her crossing the boundaries of any walls they have built, any solemn promises that they silently shared – to not cross that invisible line of personal space.

"Don't move Carter." O'Neill breathed towards her hair tightening his grip on her shoulder. He didn't want to raise the alarm with any prying eyes that decided to spy on them within the lab. Seeing Carter flinch, drastically turn round looking into thin air pinned – would certainly confirm suspicions that fraternisation rules were being broken. Especially since those same prying eye's managed to make a highly respected General retire. He could never be too careful when it came to protecting Carter.

"Sir!" She barely was able to form. A flush started to creep to her cheeks, causing them to be a rosy pink; luckily in her position nobody could see, least of all the Colonel.

"Carter... I- er, I'm sorry." Jack let go of her arms he stepped back sitting in the chair. "I'm sorry Carter I don't know what came over me.

"Sir... Are you okay?" Carter hesitantly asked.

This conversation would be so much easier, if Jack was visible.

"Erm, what if I retire?" Jack's eyes dipped towards the floor momentarily. Not through being scared of seeing her response, he was astounded he actually said it out loud.

Maybe he really was under some alien's wacked up influence.

"Sir, you know you wouldn't be allowed. More to the point, I couldn't allow you too." Carter said sympathetically.

She had not long started to get over the fact he was nothing more than 'her safe bet'. That mission provided her with an epiphany; one that changed her outlook on life - in more ways than one.

Since returning home and finally accepting one of her brothers hook ups she found that she actually liked the guy. They had similar work commitments and swept her of her feet. It's been a couple of months now since the incident with Osiris, since the day that Pete found out about the Stargate program. Things had been going really good, she's happy for the first time in a while. It's something real. Something that is not just a figment in her imagination, hiding secretive flirts, reliving the moments shared under the ice dome. Finally she has found something that is helping her to move on. Albeit extremely slowly.

"Forget I said anything..." Jack sat into a nearby chair, he slumped his arms on the top of his knees. "I'm sorry Carter, I've been. I don't know."

"No Sir, I'm sorry."

"Carter you have nothing to be sorry for, I'm happy you're happy. I'm just not thinking straight. "

Sam was about to say something, but was abruptly interrupted within her train of thoughts. Beep, beep, was the only sound that now resonated within the confines of her lab. It was from her computer. The latest test results have came in.

"Erm, Sir I'm detecting slight radiation levels from you. It would be wise if..." She trailed off feeling that the room was eerily silent. She pushed the thought into the back of her mind; she was too focused typing commands into her computer. "Er Sir... Dammit." She knew he had left. The room was just too quiet.

She walked over to the phone attached to her wall and called Daniel. After hearing pick up the phone, she simply stated, "Send the search party he left."

Mean while, Jack walked through the corridors' playing childish pranks, flicking hats off, playfully tapping soldiers on the shoulders making them turn round as he pulled faces at them.

Scaring those not privy to information, with floating coffee mugs and turning off light switches.

His pranks didn't last long he got bored when news got around faster than he could torment innocent victims with is childish ways.

He eventually found Teal'c and decided to even the odds with a few boxing and sparring matches. He managed to land quite a few blows until the big man easily adapted to him. It seemed that Teal'c was toying with him, giving Jack the sense of false confidence. Teal'c's own lesson in wisdom, karma is real.

Jack soon got bored again when he failed to land any blows. So he started scaring people again, until he was caught out by General Hammond - who firmly scolded him, telling him to report to Carter's lab immediately. Jack sarcastically saluted his CO as he walked away sulking at the big man putting an end to his mischievous antics. He headed back down to Carter's lab. When he arrived at her door, he sneaked in covertly before skilfully placing his arms around her waist making her jump.

Once Carter had quickly calmed down she focused her thoughts on the task at hand rather than vindictively plotting sweet, sweet revenge on her commanding officer; which would undoubtedly land her with being court-marshalled.

"Sir I've picked up some small amounts of radiation." Carter got straight to the point.

"I thought you said I'm not radioactive Carter!" O'Neill brusquely stated.

"You're not Sir, at least not anymore."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You remember the Light that we had to stay on the planet. The one that caused Daniel to almost die! The jaffa used it as a drug."

"Yeah so?" Jack's patience was getting thinner.

"Sir it's the same radiation you were hit with." Carter smiled as though she'd giving him all the answers for a quiz.

"Following you, still, not!"

"So essentially, what I think happened is that you were bombarded by the particle field being emanated by the cloaking generator..." She moved around her desk, excitedly going full Kid in the candy store mode. "See, you were in the engine room standing next to it when the device turned on. That would account for the traces of radiation we've been picking up. But the good news is. I think I've found a way to reverse the process. We have to go back to the mother ship and get the cloaking."

Not hearing or seeing Daniel standing in the doorway she jumped when he spoke.

"Sam who are you talking to?" he said folding his arms.

"Colonel O'Neill. I was explaining how we'll make him visible again." She turned back smiling back at Jack.

Bowing his head in frustration he replied. "No you're not Jacks in Hammond's office."

"I can't believe he did that to me again!" she said spinning around to Daniel hitting the side of her desk with her palm.

"Yeah you know getting that cloaking generator off the ship will be the least of our problems. Now getting Jack to help that's gonna be the hard part." Daniel said waving his hand over the chair proving to himself and Carter that the chair was in fact empty.

Proving his point he sat down.

"Oh don't tell me."

"Oh yes, he likes being invisible."

"You know, as much as it pains me to say it would be a huge advantage. He's becoming very annoying its grating on my patience." Sam said honestly.

"Hey if he's going to listen to anyone, it will be you."

Daniel left the chair placing a comforting squeeze on Sam's shoulder as he left.

"Great." She said to herself.

Knowing full well Daniel was right.

Meanwhile...

"But Sir, just think how much of an advantage it would be. They would never see me coming. C'mon If you were in my shoes, you'd be saying the exact same thing." Jack frustratingly said.

"Colonel since you've been back, I have received countless reports of ghostly activity in the base, and complaints from officers, including reports sent by civilians." General Hammond argued. He was exhausted by this conversation.

"And you're point Sir. No one can see me. They can't collaborate it was actually me."

"Colonel I have had to spend the entire day informing people that you are under alien influence and that you are not to be held accountable behind these assaults."

"Assaults I'd hardly call it that." Jack mused.

"Barging past soldiers, tying boots together, removing caps, kick me notes on peoples backs... Need I go on?"

"Fair point." Jack said after a minute of reflection.

"This is quite serious..." General Hammond paused, hearing the knock at his door, knowing who it was he shouted "Come in Major."

Major Carter walked through the door, looking just as annoyed as General Hammond.

"Colonel, Sir. I've figured out how to turn Colonel O'Neill back to normal. Sir with your permission we need to go back to P05-964 and retrieve the cloaking generator off of that ship. I believe once we find it we will be able to correct the situation."

"Excellent news Major! Colonel I am ordering you and SG-1 to go through the gate and retrieve the device." He said presumably looking at Jack. "Colonel?" This time George was getting more angry and frustrated with his second in command.

"Um, I think he's left Sir." Carter Said uncomfortably.

"Fix this, Major. Or I'll have no choice but to court martial an Invisible man. And that is not something I want under my career." Hammond barked.

Sam nodded and made her way to search for the infamous invisible man.

On the top side of the SGC, Jack tried to escape. Not fully, he wanted to at least have some fun before he turned back to normal. He sneaked past the guards and with the help from an unsuspected airman on patrol. He used his truck and dog to play out his biggest prank yet. He pushed the dog onto the front seat, sitting on his lap. He placed the dog's paws onto the steering wheel and handed his security card for the dog to hold in its jaw. He slowly pulled up to the barrier awaiting the security officer to acknowledge him. In his best deep commanding voice he yelled.

"Just have to pop out. On a, um, a covert mission. Top- secret. above your pay-grade. Let me through."

The look on the airman's face was priceless; he couldn't have gained that reaction on his own. The use of the dog was practical genius – Carter would be oh so proud of his ingenuity.

The fun soon ended when the security officer placed a call to General Hammond, asking if a dog had permission to enter.

Jack headed back down to the base about to go and see Hammond for his reprimand instead he stumbled upon Daniel giving a briefing to other 'geeks' about this new found universal language. A perfect opportunity presented itself once more.

Jack carefully, silently, and skilfully like a master ninja he sat down between a wall and a chair.

"And so by translating this tablet, we should be able to determine the most important thing in the universe." Daniel wrote on the white board behind him. He wrote some essential formula for understanding the basics of ancient numerical order, a different form akin to an encryption code.

Daniel stopped writing; a noise distracted him from his train of thought.

Snoring, someone was actually snoring!

Daniel didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. He dipped his head in frustration, closing his eyes he urged himself to keep calm. Eventually, quickly, gaining his composure he turned around looking at his fellow companions he eyed them up. Just in case it was one of them, albeit highly unlikely.

"Everyone just wanna poke around. See if you can find him?" Daniel sighed.

By this point almost the entire base was up to speed, on what, rather who was the cause of the strange events.

Jack just laughed quietly and left. Sniggering at the fact he managed to get a group of geek's poke around thin air, like a children popping imaginary bubbles.

Meanwhile on the other side of the base, Sam was desperate for a shower. The past twenty four hours had been very stressful. Not only was she annoyed at her Colonels impromptu behaviour, but also because the way he acted around her.

She was trying to move on.

She was happy with Pete. She loved the male attention he gave her, the romance and the courting. Something that was missing with her previous lover Jonas Hanson, put like Jonas, Pete also had a domineering nature. Pete wasn't as bad or even in the same wavelength. But still, the similarities were there. She was confused. Not only because her feelings for Jack was still strong. But, she also loved Pete.

Since that dreaded, awkward moment in the elevator many months ago, a moment she regrets and can't forget. She wished he didn't have to find out that way. She had only seen Pete a few weeks and didn't want anybody to know, least of all him. Apart of her feared that if Colonel O'Neill were to find out, he would treat her differently; putting a stop to the casual, relaxed, flirtatious touches that they had shared over the years. It had hurt her when Jack backed off, stopped coming by to her lab so often, only when work presented the need he had to visit, but he stopped visiting for the company. The subtle touches had also started to diminish.

Today was the first time in a while he had touched her, used her in one of his funny quirky moods. He touched her, played with her hair. He could feel and hear him sniffing at her hair. It sent flutters through her body. Jack tried to be subtle about it, but he failed.

She had enough of this day.

Sam got to the woman's locker room, praying that the showers were empty; all she wanted was a nice peaceful shower. She felt clean. There was something about the cascading water droplets, the high pressure stream of hot water falling delicately - just makes her relax instantly. Like a full warm exhilarating body massage. Nothing else is quite like it.

She got her self undressed and wrapped a towel elegantly around herself, turning the tap on she waited until the water quickly became hot, not a scalding hot, a healing comfortable hotness. The perfect healing temperature that removes all aches and pains deeply massaging the muscles.

Removing her towel she stepped in closing the curtain with her in one foul swoop. She closed her eyes, bent her head back and just sighed in blissful relief, as though all her pent up stresses was washing away from her.

Suddenly, this odd feeling washed over her, making the hairs at the back of her neck stand on tippy toes. Giving her that feeling she was being watched.

No she was being watched - of that she's sure. She poked her head through the curtain, pulling it close under her neck.

"Sir, are you there?" she searched the room, for any given clues.

Not being able to see anything, she searched the room once more. Again, nothing could be seen. No speck of evidence. She opened her ears as though she turned on a top secret listening device, she slowed her breathing down to at least try and hear any other noise.

A brief moment passed. Completely satisfied that she was indeed alone, she retracted her head back into the comfort of her warm, rejuvenating, cleansing shower.

"Nope!" Jack replied eventually, his conscience getting the better of him.

He wanted to use his guise to allow him some more stolen moments. Just like he had when the window of opportunity presented itself, just like when he was stuck in an unending time loop. The length of time he and Teal'c were stuck, still to this day are unknown.

Sam dipped her head closing her eyes absolutely exasperated with this day. 'Why can't I just get some peace? Is three minutes too much to ask for?' Taking a deep breath she tried to push her sub conscious aside. Asking a question to her sub conscious, when her conscious self couldn't even answer those questions.

"Sir, get out. I'm trying to relax here," Sam shouted quietly as not to draw any attention to any walkers by, to anyone that could overhear. "Respectively Sir, this is the ladies room."

"I could help you with that, you know." He winked. He knew that Carter wouldn't see it, see his playfulness side and not his sincerity. "I mean... I could help you relax."

'Come on Jack, you know you shouldn't be teasing her like this. You're treading on dangerous waters.' He thought to himself, watching, studying the slightest tells emanating from Sam's elegant face; the tells he should not have learned.

"Argh, you know I hate it when you are like this. I'm not in the mood for it." She said through gritted teeth.

'And there it is' Jacks sub consciousness filtering through once again. He wanted so badly to push her buttons; he wanted to see her feistiness. Something he only discovered during a bleak argument during the time loop. When Carter's buttons gets pushed too much she disregards the regs'.

At this point Jack got up and opened the curtain slightly leaving her still modestly covered. Her towel still wrapped neatly, tightly around her. He didn't stray from her eyes; although, she'd never been able to tell if he didn't.

"I'm sorry Sam, It's not every day you become invisible." Jacks apology was sincere, his face sullen.

"Jack, you know you can't stay like this forever. It would have very, VERY negative effects on you, if you did." Sam sighed trying to gage where his face was to emphasise her point.

"Ah, yes well you made your point," Jack sighed. He didn't know quite what else to say. He knew that she was, of course, almost always right. He decided that a play out a Homers play-book was the best course of action. "I don't suppose I could you know, jump in with you."

"Yeah, sure," Carter smirked sarcastically, "When I can see you again. Now, get out!" Sam squatted him somewhere, although she wasn't sure where.

Jack got the hint; he had been very childish today. He couldn't help it. It was his way of handling tough situations and Sam knew that. He sighed deeply. He moved his hand to cup Sam's face. He nodded in agreement. Forgetting that she couldn't see him he spoke up.

"You're right Sam, I'll tell Hammond right now."

He left her standing there without saying a word. Without seeing her face, without seeing her reaction, without seeing her! She stood there for mere seconds – motionless. Shocked, that he tenderly cupped her face, how he acted, how he dropped his guard. He didn't react to where he was, or if he did he didn't show that he cared. In Jacks' haste he missed seeing Sam pull her hand up to her face to cover where his hand had been.

On his way to General Hammond's office, he ran into Teal'c.

"You cannot remain this way O'Neill." Teal'c confirmed.

"Why not? It gives us an advantage over the Goa'uld I can sneak around all I want totally undetected," Jack paused briefly, seeing that he spilt some coffee on the ground near Teal'c's boot. "I give us the element of surprise. The bottom line is. I can do more for this planet invisible. Than I ever could as my own sweet salient self." Jack took a sip of his deviously refreshing coffee.

There was a moment of pause between the two brothers.

"I assume I am staring at you stoically." Teal'c said throatily.

"Not buying it, eh."

"No. You are most transparent, O'Neill." Teal'c had been practising his Tauri humour, and had found his prime opportunity.

"Oh! I get it. Good one." Jack said, sarcastically, trying to hide how proud he was of Teal'c's poignant use of humour.

"I can see right through you!" Teal'c said almost smiling.

"Don't push it." Jack attempted to hide his laugh, he couldn't be more proud of him.

He arrived at General Hammond's office, and stood there. Teal'c knew when he was needed and when he was not. He walked off leaving Jack to his own devices. He had a huge amount of faith in O'Neill and he knew that he would do the right thing.

"Come in." General Hammond's voice boomed through the door.

Jack took a deep breath, before opening the door. He knew that perhaps he was going to be told good and proper, he stopped briefly trying to brace himself for the wrath that would be bestowed upon him.

He unravelled the doorknob and jumped straight in, speaking with haste. "Sir, I've come to the conclusion, that being invisible might not be my best attribute."

It took a moment for him to register Jack being there at first. Although, he could never admitted that he was slightly startled by this ghostly experience, years have taught him to never show weakness. This boded him will today.

"Take a seat son," General Hammond waved over, "Erm, are you sitting?"

"Yes Sir." Jack obeyed.

"Right, well... I cannot stress enough how disappointed I am with your behaviour." He looked at an empty chair, but he hoped that he gauged Jacks face correctly.

"I couldn't agree more Sir. Which is why I have asked S... er Major Carter to try her solution and make me visible." Jack rubbed is hand at the back of his head, ruffling what he suspects an even more dishevelled look.

"Well son, as much as I couldn't agree more. I need you to be undetectable a little while longer," he handed out a file in the vicinity of Jack's position. "It's from the Tok'ra. There's been some information about..."

"No problem. When do we leave?" Jack closed the small manila folder and placed it on the desk.

"Jack this is a one person trip, we..."

"With all due respect Sir, I need my team behind my back. I cannot leave them out again." Jack's face was sincere, his voice more so.

He couldn't do that to his team again not after the incident with the Asgard.

He couldn't do that to them, least of all to Sam.

After Jack finally being on ball with turning back to normal again, it wasn't long before he and the rest of SG-1 were standing at the bottom of the Gate. Jack went through first, taking out a few straggling Jaffa's. He sent the clear code through the Gate and watched while the rest of the team came though. He couldn't help but think 'I told you so'.

After a short hike the managed to get to the Tel'tek. It was Sam's turn to lead the way. Undoing a control panel she rewired the controls bypassing the sequence code to get the rings to activate.

Jack said he'd go first and ordered his team to count to twenty and follow him.

He had taken a small number of Jaffa by surprise. Knocking them out to the floor; he didn't stop there he decided to carry on through both corridors, taking out any stragglers that crossed his path.

He heard the rings snap into life once more, and started waving at Sam to get her attention. He realised slower than he should have. Of course they still couldn't see him.

"Hello? Hand signals! I'm waving you over." Jack hissed.

Sam shrugs at this comment, rolling her eyes in the direction of Daniel. They quickly get to the Clocking generator. After placing the C4 they headed back to the gate, on the race back Jack held on to Sam's wrist so that she didn't have to worry about his whereabouts. There was a time and a place for games, today was not that time.

In no less than thirty minutes they found themselves back at the gate room. Jack still had his hand on Sam's arm. General Hammond congratulated them for the successful mission and for their safe return; he dismissed them allowing them to leave to Sam's lab.

While walking down the busy corridors, Sam still could feel the presences of Jacks hand on her wrist. He gripped her, as not to hurt or to control, but as a gentle and caressing as he could. He didn't want to let go. This was probably his only chance, to walk down these corridors almost completely hand in hand with her. He wanted her to know that things will change, but he knew he couldn't ever tell her that.

Jack moves to sits into the swivel chair. He had no choice but to let go of Sam. He started twirling himself around, a ploy to get back into the same mindset he was before the mission, before he held Carter's hand. Daniel and Teal'c watched cautiously over the chairs movement. All while leaning on Sam's desk watching tentatively, while Carter worked her doo-hinky brain of hers.

"Okay I've made the necessary adjustments. All I have to do now is initiate the sequence." Carter typed up the necessary adjustments she needed, making sure that all her calculations were correct.

Jack sighed, sounding exhausted but relieved, "Okay let's do it."

Sam hit the sequence buttons on her laptop, kick starting the process. Once the programme started a dull hum could be heard, the sequence caused the lights in the room to flicker for a few moments nothing happened. And then the power goes out, leaving the base in total darkness.

"Carter?" O'Neill hissed.

"The backup generators will be up and running." Carter, spoke quickly, and confidently.

"Oh, yeah this is much better." Jack hyped.

Within a moment the power game back on and so did O'Neill's fine opaque self.

Everything was back to normal, nothing had changed.

At least, for now nothing has.


End file.
